LAKESIDE – A flurry of three-pointers in the last minute of play was not enough for the Lakeside Junior High boys basketball team to thwart the early efforts of Oakleaf Junior High as the Yellow Jackets inside prowess proved too much en route to their 50-44 win Thursday afternoon at the Northeast Florida Athletic Conference Middle School Boys Basketball Championship Tournament.

Lakeside, 15-5 overall, stayed within earshot of the Oakleaf inside game, led by Breyaun Williamson, who scored eight first half baskets with two blocked shots as the first quarter ended 9-9.

Oakleaf, 11-1, had two regular season wins over the Gators with deficits of 10 or more points, but the Gators seemed obliviously to their history as they used a harassing pressure defense to force turnovers and get seven points apiece from Colton Zapp and Grant Weiskircher.

At the halftime break, with the score still close at 21-20, Lakeside got a three point play; layup and foul shot, from Kevin Goolsby to end the half.

Lakeside got a brief 27-26 lead in the third on a rebound effort and two free throws from Jaymar Childs, but Williamson answered with a jumper. Two steals from Oakleaf guard Nick Lowery led to baskets from David Compere and Williamson as Oakleaf surged to a 33-29 lead with 4:53 left in the third.

A jumper plus foul shot for Compere with a technical foul shot added on continued Oakleaf’s surged to 38-29 with Honrae Murray shredding the nets with a jumper that caused a Lakeside time out.

Lakeside tried to rally behind guard Andy Suhrer who hit a layup and foul shot to get Lakeside as close as 38-32 with 3:07 to go in the third.

With foul shots dominating the Oakleaf shooting attack, Lakeside attempted to score in quick blasts with three points from Zapp, Suhrer and Gavin Goodblatt, but Oakleaf held to the 50-44 final.